drowning | ruel van dijk

one

KATE

i usually come to the beach by myself, but my best friend meg wanted to come along with me so I couldn't argue.

"here we are," i say when our feet finally hit the sand.

we set up our little spot near the water, and sit down.

the beach today was quiet. only a few families and some other teens my age were scattered across the beach.

"i don't think i'll go in the water today, you can just go in by yourself," meg tells me.

"suit yourself," i say back.

i make my way into the ocean, and it's cold waves lap at my ankles. it's so calming.

once i finally submerge myself in the water, i swim away from the rest of the people.

i just like to have my own space. being alone is so calming to me.

i swim around for awhile, feeling the cool breeze blow through my tangled hair.

i face the ocean, watching the waves crash against my body and onto the shore.

the next big wave makes its journey.

it tumbles in front of me, and smacks me on the chest.

i wasn't expecting it to be that forceful, but you never could tell with waves. they can be deceiving.

suddenly, i feel something brush against my leg from under the water.

"what the hell..."

i stick my hand under, to try and feel what it was that just touched me.

it was a hand.

a hand?

i move around more and i feel a palm. a wrist. an arm.

"shit"

it's a person.

a person is under water?

i immediately dunk my entire body in the blue sea and try and lift the person up, but it's too heavy.

i should have taken meg up on those trips to the gym.

"shit. shit. shit."

my breaths are becoming shaky and all i can think about is trying to save this person. i need to.

i wave my arms around in the air to get the life guards' attention.

"HELP SOMEONE'S DROWNING! I NEED HELP!" i call at the top of my lungs. i don't think i've ever screamed this loud in my life.

soon after, some fathers of other families rush to help me lift the person, and life guards come sprinting with their kayaks to help as well.

there's whistles going off left and right, and my head starts to spin.

"shit," i keep saying to myself "shit."

eventually everyone is told to clear out of the water, and now it's just me, the lifeguards, and the limp figure of a teenage boy.

"let's get him out of here. we have no time to lose," one of the life guards commands.

another one guides me out of the ocean and immediately begins questioning me, asking if i am ok.

"do you know this boy? how long has he been under the water? was he moving when you found him? are you alright? do you need anything?"

"umm... i'm fine. i don't know him. i just felt something against my leg and that's when i noticed him. it was after a big wave," is all i can get out.

the life guard takes the answer, and leads me to the where the life guard chair is stationed.

"just sit here and i'll come back to you in a few. if you need anything, just let me know. my name's jenn and i'm here to help you. everything's all right," she assures me.

i nod in reply and and sit down.

this was not what how i was expecting this beach day to go.

i look to where meg and i set up our spot in the sand, but i don't see her anywhere. she must have gone to the bathroom or something.

my attention is diverted, however, to a spot closer to the water, where all the life guards are giving CPR to the teenage boy.

he looks around my age. maybe 16 or 17. he's tall, like super tall, with a lanky body and blonde hair. attractive to say the least. i don't know how i hadn't seen him earlier.

but that doesn't really matter at the moment, does it?

just as i start to get up to ask for some water, the boy i saved begins coughing.

i bolt down to where he's lying and kneel down next to him.

i don't know why.

i just feel the need to be there for him. he dosen't seem to have any family or friends with him.

his eyes blink open and everyone steps back a bit, careful to not overwhelm him.

"uh... what happened...?" is the first things he says.

"you drowned. and i found you"